"Jump, Damn It, Jump!": Memoir of a Downed B-17 Pilot in World War II [LARGE PRINT]

by Edward F. Logan , Jr.

Overview

Soon after the United States entered World War II, American ground and air forces were on their way to the European theater of operations. Among that offensive buildup was the 15th Air Force, consisting of four-engine heavy bombers—the B-17 and B-24—as well as twin-engine medium bombers and several types of fighter aircraft. The 15th was first stationed in North Africa and then in southern Italy, where pilots could strike at any military target within a 700 mile radius. After ferrying a B-17 to England with the 8th Air Force, Lt. Edward Logan was transferred to the 15th Air Force, Fifth Wing, 483rd Bomb Group, 817th Bomb Squadron in Italy. Logan and members of his unit were assigned to use American air power to destroy the German military's manufacturing and petroleum complexes as well as its intricate transportation system.

This gripping memoir gives a detailed account of Logan's experiences throughout his Army Air Corps career. It outlines the progression of a determined would-be pilot through two years of training, his 1944 journey to the war's theater and advent into actual combat. While other missions are summarized, the work's main focus is the author's thirty-fourth combat mission, which took place in March 1945. During this operation, his B-17 bomber sustained damage so severe that he and nine crewmen were forced to bail out over enemy territory. Aided by Slovenian partisans, Logan and his crew evaded the German troops who were searching for them and returned safely to their base. This firsthand account includes insider details, technical specifications of the B-17 bomber and previously classified information. An epilogue provides additional information on the partisans and the composition of the 15th Air Force.

This entry refers to the LARGE PRINT edition. For the standard edition please see ISBN 978-0-7864-2572-3.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786439409
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	12/04/2008
Edition description:	Large Print
Pages:	301
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

The late Edward F. Logan, Jr., was a retired airline pilot and aviation administrator. He lived in Hendersonville, North Carolina.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments     
Preface     
Introduction     

1. The Training Story     
2. Our “Ferry Flight” to England and Its Preparation     
3. Our First Taste of England     
4. A Journey to a New Air Force     
5. Our New Home Away from Home     
6. Our War—A Flying Start     
7. The Tuskegee Airmen—A Bond of Friendship     
8. A Salute to My Crew     
9. Missions     
10. The Thirty-Fourth Mission     
11. Dressing for the Occasion     
12. Armed and Ready for the Day Ahead     
13. The First Wave (Red Force)     
14. The Takeoff     
15. The Bomb Run     
16. Day Number 1—Friday, March 9, 1945     
17. Day Number 2—Saturday, March 10, 1945     
18. Day Number 3—Sunday, March 11, 1945     
19. Day Number 4—Monday, March 12, 1945     
20. Day Number 5—Tuesday, March 13, 1945     
21. The Return     

Epilogue     
Appendix A: Citations Received by Edward F. Logan, Jr.     
Appendix B: Ferry Crews     
Appendix C: About the Fifteenth Air Force     
Index